Masked
by MayuMinami
Summary: We all held some secrets within us, we all are masked. Even when they moved on with their lifes, fate decides that not everything is done or over and the former members of SPR shall be reunited again by a series of circumstances, but not everything can go back to the way it was, but that does not mean things can't start over.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there, how are you? c: first of all I wanted to say that this is my first fic and in English, since it's not my natal language I wanted to apologize for all my grammatical mistakes, I'm really trying to get better c: all feedbacks are welcome, please feel free to review. Also, please be patient, for the beginning of this story is slow but soon it will make more sense, I promise.

Hope you like it.

_**Desclaimer:**_ I don't own anything about ghost hunt except the OCs and the idea of the story.

CHAPTER ONE

_**July 24**__**th**__** 7:00 pm. Location: England. **_

The young black haired man let out a frustrated sigh before turning away all the files and reports on his desk.

Not even a single case that was brought to him could achieve over his expectative of at least 'not as boring' as he liked to put it.

He walked in silence to his car and went directly to his apartment, welcoming the comforting silence in it.

After a quick dinner and a cold shower, not really minding the already cold weather, the young one, found himself unable to sleep. The earlier comforting silence suddenly got overwhelming.

"_So many years has passed" _he thought _"not everything is the same, it never will be"._

A part of him really missed the thrill of Japan's SPR branch, but more than that his ex-co-workers, they were already experienced in the field of paranormal events making his work easier, and sure, all the time as loud and annoying than anyone he knew, yet he found himself thinking back to them very often.

"Six years" he murmured, rolling on his bed to look at the closed curtains of the only window in the room "I wonder…" he voiced quietly.

One minute passed.

Two

Three

Four

Five

"Stop it" he ordered harshly to himself. Somewhere within him wanted to come back, but he knew very well, couldn't "Not anymore, it's too late" Again silence greeted him.

'Ring-ring' the sudden noise of his telephone almost made him jump… almost. 'Ring'

"Oliver Davis" he greeted.

"Noll! Dear, how have you been?" a female's voice answered back.

"Mother" was all he said.

"Dear, I know it's late but I wanted to talk about something important with you, and you know me, patience not really my thing" the woman's voice was comforting to him.

"What is it mother?" always straight to the point.

"Your father and I were thinking…" she hesitated a little bit "What do you think of re-opening Japan's branch again?" her voice sounded a little nervous.

"Why are you asking me, mother?" he was really annoyed now. Naru or Noll made clear years ago that Japan was something to never be named in his presence "Father is the one you should talk about it". He stated.

"Your father said it was appropriate" she continued unfazed by his hostile tone "But we've been so busy here, so many cases and students to train, so today we decided you and Lin should do it".

"Why?" all Noll was able to say. He knew his mother better than anyone, except his father, and her crazy antics involving him always held a second reason behind.

"Oh, I'm glad you agreed" Luella's voice now sounded cheerful.

"Mother, I am yet to tell anything at all!"

"Because I already bought the tickets and made all the preparations needed for both of you" she continued.

Silence…

He sighed for the tenth time that day in annoyance. Luella Davis, his mother had made everything without even asking. Again

Oliver was not even surprised anymore, you can never really know with that woman. Fighting her was pointless, she always managed to bring something so clever up, that it made almost impossible to argue back.

"When?" he gave in, glaring at the poor telephone resting innocently in his nightstand.

"It's all set up for next week, everything is made so you just have to go back and rearranged the old office" his mother sounded more exited now.

When silence ruled for more than five minutes the woman sighed.

"Rest now dear, I'm sure you've been awake all this time, so goodnight" she paused before adding "I love you, you know".

He hesitated for a moment. Since his twin brother's body was found in that lake almost six years ago, it was easier for him to open up a little bit more to emotions or people for that matter, just a little, it was still very awkward and uncomfortable to him.

"And I you mother" he said so very slowly cutting the call and lying back down in his bed.

A very small ghost of a smile could be seen in his face, feeling overwhelmed by sleep now, one last thought made its way to his mind.

"I'm going back".

_**July 24**__**th**__** 3:54 pm Location: Japan**_

"Listen to me!" a scream made its way through the thick silence "Why can't you believe me?"

No answer was heard, whoever was with her at the time being, didn't even bother to reply back.

"Answer me!" the voice cried again in the form of an angry scream, full of sorrow it seemed. And once again quietness ruled the room.

"What are you doing?" her voice now filled with fear and horror.

They were oblivious of a third one watching the scene. The young witness made a face of disgust at what she knew was coming and focused on the silent member of that room, memorizing everything that she could. Eyes, noise, facial features, clothes and her gaze stopped on the object in his hand. A black, heavy looking belt was resting in it, moving in morbid anticipation, as if said object knew what was going to occur next.

"You are scaring me" the woman's voice broke in a thin tone full of fear, backing down before collapsing with the wall. Her eyes widened in horror as her mind figured out that she was in danger and what made it worse, cornered in a room. Fear took hold of her body and she stayed still, feeling unable to move.

"No! Please, don't!" she cried, but once again her pointless demands were devoured by silence.

The witness girl couldn't understand what in the world was the woman doing, she should be putting a fight, but at the same time could understand it. When fear takes place in your mind, it's not easy to think correctly in this situations, yet alone move at all. Her focused on the scene was reduced when the man put the belt around the woman's neck.

She watched vaguely as the woman struggled at the lack of air trying to break free and finally when it was all over, the girl woke up.

Her eyes opened, she was lying on the hard and not so nice floor in the room of the woman in her vision, her forehead was sweaty and her labored breathing was the only sound in the place.

Three other people were standing in the room, not daring to move or say anything, allowing the girl to recover.

"The husband, it was the husband" she finally said.

No more words were needed when two of the three people were out of the room yelling orders to proceed.

The only one, who didn't move, knelt down in front of the panting girl, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked with concern clear in his voice "Are you completely sure you are ready?"

The girl smiled softly yet brightly to him, before helping herself to her feet "Don't worry, I'm fine and ready" she said.

The man smiled and urged the girl out of the house and suddenly said "you did well, Mai-san".

**So what do you think of chapter one? Please don't forget to leave a review I will be so thankful. **

**Thank you so much for reading. **

**Mayu**


	2. Chapter 2

_**I'm so terribly, completely and utterly sorry for the late update, college has been a hell of time consuming with all the homework and well, Good think I'm really loving it, otherwise I would have jumped already from the nearest park's bench I could find, and exams are over and guess what? I'm on top of my class : D so I'm going to try and write a very long chapter in compensation, I had the general idea written in a notebook but not the complete chapter though. **_

_**Hope you like it :s and please remember that I do not own anything related to Ghost Hunt or the characters, just this fic c: **_

* * *

**July 31, 7:45 am, England's airport**

"_**At the time we ask that you please put away all electronic devices"**_ a voice said, in the meaning of the plain's departure.

In the first class section, two man are setting quietly in an apparently deadly awkward silence, although for them it was quite better and comfortable.

The one that look older is wearing a white formal shirt and black trousers, for strangers it was quite weird that half of his face was covered by his hair which was kept longer on that part by purpose and although his face seemed quite stoic and emotionless, if one look very closely there was a mixture of still slight shock and anticipation. This man's name is Lin Koujo, originally from China but currently living and working for the Davis family.

Next to him, is Oliver Davis, a 25 year old man, who had no problem at attracting people's attention with his outstanding looks. Thing he is very aware of, not for nothing was he nicknamed 'Naru' the narcissist 8 years ago by an idiotic overly active teenager girl when he was 17, thing that apparently his current assistant couldn't get off the habit of calling him by that instead of his real name. He was dressed surprisingly not all in black but in a white shirt and black trousers as well as his companion, his black bangs fall above his eyes.

The majority of the trip was in silence, which none of the two really mind though. And soon enough it was broken by the older one.

"Are you going to start over?" Lin's voice was deep and stoic, almost bearing a boring tone but for anyone that has met him for more than a lifetime as Oliver did, one would have notice the curiosity in his voice. The younger narrowed his eyes at the meaning behind that question before answering what was being a pain in his mind.

"I don't really know, my only guess is that everyone has moved on" he sighed and move some bangs out of his eyes.

"If you want to work with everyone, then you could try to reach them and it's up for all of you to decide what's next" the Chinese said.

"I guess" and again silence ruled through the entirety of the remaining hours of such a long trip to Japan…

"_**Ladies and gentleman, we are now on our final approach into Japan, please remember to take all of your belongings before deplaning"**_ again the same voice of the flight intendant was heard, making all of the passengers aware that they were almost there, laughs and sighs of relief could be hear all over, but not for Oliver, although his face showed nothing out, inside he could be describe as a mess of nervousness, something that was not normal in his usual calm behavior, but what could be expect from going back to the country where his brother was killed by a crazed woman (now in jail, thank you very much) and his annoying former co-workers and none the less, between all those people, the girl who used to blackmail him and the other one who mistook his dead twin brother for him and confessed her love anyway?

In a few words all that drama did not make his going back adventure any more appealing as it used to look when his mother told him the news. But they were there, no going backs could be done, not that he could anyway, his pride wouldn't let him.

* * *

**July 31 past nighttime, Japan.**

Almost four hours later they were in their old apartment, the one that used to be their home while Gene's body was being searched for. And as Luella Davis had said, it was all taken care of, for not a single spot of dirt could be found in the very well cleaned apartment. "Good" he thought to himself while unpacking his belongings in what used to be his old room.

He could hear Lin's faint footstep going back and forth through all the place, but he couldn't care less about what was his assistant doing at the moment for his mind would travel to what was going to happen once he took the darn phone and call the others.

**August 4****th**** 9:00 am location: Japan**

And soon enough old Japan's branch of SPR was officially open again. Noll and Lin rearranged everything in there, it was ready.

After two long hours and three possible and promising cases, Oliver found himself staring between his phone and a paper with his former co-workers numbers.

His eyes stopped at the name of Mai Taniyama. And their last interaction came to his mind, he remembered how broken she seemed to be, when he asked that dreaded question.

"_Me or Gene, Mai? Who do you really love?"_

And then how something within him moved when he saw how painfully slowly tears were falling on her rosy cheeks and then, at that moment as well, he felt really angry, enough was enough. He was not Gene nor a replacement of him and so, he marked an end turning around never bothering to say goodbye or spare a glance back. Caring not for leaving everyone behind or the two years they worked together, he left.

And now? Noll wanted to know how she was doing. Sighing he took the phone and called the number on the list.

"Moshi Moshi" the answer was cheerful "Who's talking?"

Oliver braved himself for what was coming and answer in a low tone yet audible enough for the other to hear.

"Takigawa-san" he said simply "I-" before he could continue the whole sentence the other individual in the line cut in with a very loud scream that Naru was sure could be hear on the streets.

"NARU BOU! IS THAT YOU?" the older man asked "IT'S BEEN SIX YEARS YOUNG MAN, SIX ENTIRE WHOLE YEARS! AND NOT A SINGLE LETTER, CALL OR EMAIL!" and now his ear was ruined for what could be forever. He rubbed his offended ear while holding the phone at a secure distance, just in case, one couldn't be safe enough.

"No need to yell, monk-san, I'm aware of the time and can count very fine as well" Noll said in neutral voice but with a cold glare in his eyes that he hoped the man could feel.

"Sorry, it's just that 6 years with no notice, so much has happened and you just left, not one single call all this time" Housho's voice was neutral as well, torn between being happy and angry with his former boss, and if we consider what he said, it was very true, the black haired young man didn't bother to call or make any attempt of communication at all, it was a two sided point of view story.

There was silence for a moment, for neither of them could find the appropriate words, Naru because saying some sort of smartass comment, like the ones he's used to say, could make the older angrier, and the later because some weird mixed feelings were messing his head . Until the elder sigh and ask the reason of the call.

"I wanted to talk about re-opening Japan's SPR branch again and since we are already acquaintances of our own work and the sort, it would be easier to start over" 2x2 is equal to 4, that's how Oliver Davis operated. No more words than the needed were going out of his mouth.

A long very awkward silence filled the line before the Monk decided to answer carefully "Well, it's been really boring lately and could use the extra money, like being young again!" at that the young boss rolled his eyes "I presume you have not contact the others?"

"No, I have not, but now that you are asking, rather than making useless calls and repeat myself several times, I was hoping for a meeting with everyone to discuss all the matters involved" that way they would all scream to him once instead of separately.

"Ah, no prob, we were meeting today anyway so I guess you are the invited one" if they were facing each other, one could see the big cat smile that Monk's face held "Except for Ayako, the old hag is working double turns on the hospital today"

They exchanged the restaurant address and time their meeting was being held and they hung up, setting free the both of them to continue doing whatever they needed to do.

Man, Naru hopes for it to go well and without any kind of further yelling, but just to be safe, he took two aspirin for a surely coming headache.

* * *

**August 4****th**** 9:00 am location: Japan**

Mai Taniyama a 23 year old young lady, who just graduated from nursing school not so recently yet not a long time ago, returned to her home after a very active shift back at the hospital. And lazily changed her uniform (putting it carefully in a plastic bag before adding a mental note that those needed washing) for her pajamas, not that she actually care, sleep was getting hold of her mind and senses. She heard some noises coming near to her before being tackled to the floor by a giant black dog and boy was he heavy.

"Ke-san" she laughed "No! Bad boy, we said no face licking!"

When Mai was allowed to stand up, she went to clean up for whatever mess the giant black German shepherd did, heavens was he messy with his toys and things.

"_Well Mai, everything it's just exactly as their respective owners"_ She could hear her friend Ryota Ikeda's response in hear head, when she complained to the animal for leaving everything everywhere.

Now that she remembered it well, Ryo the idiot bodyguard (a nickname she gave to him for his constant worries about her and overprotective manners) gave Kero to her for protection, according to him she was incapable of walking two inches without suffering an accident or being attacked by some random object or people (talking about drama), so the dog was welcome on their pretty weird brotherly-friendly relationship. Apparently being head of the police officer department could not ease his worries for her.

She made a one sided smile when the moment they met came to her mind. She was in college when a nasty murder was committed and he was investigating the case, and Mai being the sensible person she is, had a dream about everything, the who and the how, but she was not stupid, going to them and talk about it would make her the main suspect and if not, probably a collaborator of it. So instead casually dropping the least obvious clues was the plan! But it soon failed after it actually got her to be the main suspect.

When Ryo came to interrogate her, Mai felt a need to talk the truth about her dreams, the murder and her abilities to him, after all her intuition was rarely if not never wrong. It ended with him thinking her crazy but at the end, he listened to her words of the name given as the real killer and proved her innocence. It was all a onetime experience she certainly didn't wanted to repeat. So no further contact was made between them.

Several months passed and everything was back to normal with Mai. Or it was when she was called to the principal's office where no other than the officer Ryota Ikeda standing beside the old looking desk, he asked for her help again in a case that had left a promise of another victim and there they went.

Their relationship began, although never as a romantic one, they remained very close to each other. He learned that Mai was the clumsiest human being in existence, yet at her studies and work remain very professional and Mai learned that Ryo was the most annoying overprotective idiot on the world and a wonderful person who was committed into helping others no matter what.

Ryota would ask for Mai's help only in rare occasions where either they were running out of time or there was another's life at risk and although many doubted her abilities at the beginning soon she proved them wrong by always nailing the case, otherwise the Taniyama girl wouldn't be allowed a mile near his job.

"_Too dangerous"_ he had said.

"_Idiot bodyguard"_ Mai had answered back.

"_Yes, but I am your number one idiot"_ he said with a wide smile and the conversation was ended.

That's how it went for the past years and it was really funny when they held reunions with Michiru and Keiko, who by the way were on the same college, so contact was rather easier for everyone. But Ryo's attitude went to overprotective to insanely crazy driving overprotective after Mai's accident 6 months ago, guilt had built in him for so long and it took her the entire past weeks of the month to calm him and her friends down, but she knew every time they looked at the eyes that he still blamed himself for everything and it was no more than a little while ago (with so much persuading from Mai and very strict conditions from him) that he asked for her help again in a case were the suspect was going out of the country being guilty and all.

Sleep couldn't wait anymore.

Knowing that everything was clean and in place, Mai put a content smile before going to her bedroom to clumsily make her way to the pillows on the bed. Kero was already on it and laid himself at his owner's side and both drifted to sleep.

- Dream -

_Aware that she was dreaming the girl couldn't place a single thing she was seeing. A blurry tall figure walking into somewhere and so many papers around, no, not papers, they were people, or represented people her intuition told her. Cases._

_Suddenly she was thrown out of the place and landed with a gasp in front of a door. Her eyes looked but could not really observe with clarity. She knew that door but…didn't know from where or how. _

"_Mai" a voice said "Mai" _

_Turning around she searched for the owner of it but saw no one. _

_It laughed "Mai, always my little idiot Mai" _

_Her eyes widened at that particular insult yet, could not place where exactly she had hear it before. Her heart was beating so painfully quick and out of nothing and S appeared on the door, red and very elegant. _

"_Mai, come on" again the voice._

_H appeared, then I. _

_B _

_SHIB could be read. A fourth letter started to appear but before it was clear to read… she woke up. _

The clock near her bed read 4:00 pm

One single word run inside her head and it held so much meaning that it was scary. The one thing in her life that had hurt more than anything and at the same time, made of her a very different person.

"Naru" she whispered with her eyes focused on the wall, remembering faintly the tall figure entering the old office.

* * *

_**And it's over! C: **_

_**I really hope you like it and as I said the last chapter, please be patient for the beginning can be really slow and I'm sorry if it's a little confusing. **_

_**Any kind of feedback is welcome with open arms **_

_**PS: I apologize if it is out of reality or too OOC and for all the grammatical mistakes :c really trying to get better at my English hohohoho. **_

_**PS2: And again sooooo sorry for the late update. **_

_**PS3: I always thought of Mai as a person with so much potential and that eventually after her whole adventure with Naru and the gang, the only thing she needed was a little bit of focusing on what she wanted. Also her loving and caring for others natural personality made me thought of her as someone who could commit entirely to other's wellbeing and a nurse came to my mind.**_

_**That's all, see ya soon c: **_


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